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Marketing Automation

Marketing Automation Platforms, Explained

A new category of software promises to nurture leads automatically. Here is what marketing automation platforms do and who they are for.

Valter Brandt

November 6, 2012 · 1 min read

Marketing Automation Platforms, Explained

A category of software is reshaping how marketing teams work. Marketing automation platforms promise to capture leads, track what they do, and follow up automatically with the right message. For teams drowning in manual email and spreadsheets, the appeal is obvious.

What these platforms do

  • Capture leads through forms and landing pages.
  • Track behavior across email and the website.
  • Score leads so sales can focus on the warmest prospects.
  • Send nurture sequences triggered by what each person does.

Who they are for

Automation rewards businesses with a real funnel and something to say at each stage. If you have content to nurture leads and a clear path to purchase, these tools multiply your effort. If you do not, the software simply automates a gap.

Key takeaways

  • Automation platforms connect capture, tracking, scoring, and nurture.
  • They reward a clear funnel and good content, not the other way around.
  • Start with strategy, then let the tool scale it.
  • Marketing Automation
  • Tools
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Valter Brandt

Written by

Valter Brandt

Chief Marketing Officer

Valter Brandt is the Chief Marketing Officer of ThisCom, working with clients across the United States and internationally. He has led marketing strategy through the major shifts in social advertising, mobile, content marketing, programmatic media, and marketing automation.

All articles by Valter Brandt →

Frequently asked questions

Is marketing automation worth it for a small team?+

It can be, if you have a steady flow of leads and content to nurture them. Smaller teams often start with lighter email automation and grow into a fuller platform as their funnel matures.

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